Project Summary Despite the availability of evidence-based treatment options for older adults with mental illnesses, this booming population is the least likely of any population group to access specialty mental health care. Instead, older adults with mental illnesses are more likely to appear in non- specialty settings such as primary health care clinics and community-based aging service programs. The purpose of this proposal is to convene a conference that focuses on the critical role that primary health care and aging services play in the lives of older persons with mental illnesses. The conference will reach two goals. The first goal is to disseminate the latest information about providing evidence-based care to older adults with mental illnesses within primary health care clinics and aging service programs. The second goal is to develop a research agenda that compares the provision of collaborative care models to older adults with mental illnesses across a range of primary care and aging service programs. The team of individuals who have come together to organize and administer this conference is unmatched. The planning team and conference faculty consist of leaders from national organizations involved with the provision of care to older adults with mental illnesses;clinicians and administrators who have established viable, evidence-based approaches to providing care to older persons with mental illnesses in primary healthcare and aging service programs across several states;and expert researchers and policy analysts who can effectively present information about how to translate evidence-based practices and lead the development of a multi-site comparative evaluation research agenda. Moreover, our conference proposal features several innovations. We exclusively focus on the provision of care to older adults with mental illnesses within the de facto service delivery system of primary healthcare and aging service programs. The conference features "clicker" technology that facilitates instantaneous evaluation of the audience members'comprehension of content. We are organizing a multi-state, interdisciplinary research group that will advance an entirely unique comparative effectiveness agenda. This conference proposal is significant because information provided will be of interest of program administrators and clinical care providers who face a booming older adult population and rely extensively on non-specialty service providers to address the needs of older persons with mental illnesses. The proposed comparative evaluation agenda advances a rigorous approach consistent with the priorities defined by AHRQ and constitutes a significant contribution to the field of aging and mental health services research. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Project Narrative This conference proposal addresses a prominent public health problem concerning the provision of mental health care to the fastest growing segment of the American population. The information provided during the meeting will capture the interest of officials, program administrators, and clinical care providers who face a booming older adult population and rely extensively on non-specialty service providers to address the needs of older persons with mental illnesses. The proposed agenda-setting forum will advance a methodologically rigorous comparative evaluation research agenda that is consistent with the priorities defined by AHRQ, and will constitutes a significant contribution to the field of aging and mental health services research.